Use this booklist to help ‘grow’ your child’s language and

literacy skills. Motivate your child to love books and reading.

Help build early literacy skills. Reinforce that reading is a valued

habit and skill in your home by reading aloud to him, and

showing him that you read, too.

In this pamphlet, you will find tips on using books to build

vocabulary, increase narrative skills, and reinforce word play

with your child.

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Print Motivation: learning to love books and words Print motivation serves as the building block for all other early literacy skills. If this

skill is not in place, children will struggle to acquire the other early literacy skills they

need to be successful in school.

Reinforce reading as an important family value. Read together often. Provide a

literature-rich environment with books, magazines, and a place to curl up.

Narrative Skills: storytelling and relating events From an early age, children learn to predict what will happen next in a story. Narrative

skills include the ability to sequence, ask and answer questions, and follow directions.

As you read together, encourage your child to predict what will happen next in the

story. When the two of you spend time together, ask him open-ended questions so that

he can tell you a story. Narrative skills use both verbal and listening skills.

Tullet, Herve

Press Here Using no special effects, a series of dots

multiplies, grows, or changes color by

pressing, tilting, or blowing on the

previous page.

Wiesner, David

Tuesday Frogs rise on their lily pads, float through

the air, and explore nearby houses while

inhabitants sleep. This wordless book

gives children the chance to tell the story

in their own words. Can they guess the

ridiculous surprise ending?

Willems, Mo

We are in a Book! (Elephant & Piggie) Gerald and Piggie discover the joy of

reading. But what happens when the book

ends? Each book in this series provides a

model of true friendship.

Wilson, Karma

The Cow Loves Cookies While all the other animals on the farm

enjoy eating their regular food, the cow

chooses to eat the one thing that she loves

best. Children will be ready to chant along

with you that “The cow loves cookies.”

Jeffers, Oliver

The Way Back Home Stranded on the moon, a boy meets a

marooned young Martian with a broken

spacecraft. The two new friends work

together to return to their respective

homes. After reading this book, make up

stories about what will happen to continue

the friend’s story.

Klassen, Jon

I Want My Hat Back

A bear loves his hat, but he hasn’t seen it

anywhere. Or has he?

Litwin, Eric

Pete the Cat and His Four Groovy

Buttons Pete the Cat loves the buttons on his shirt

so much that he makes up a song about

them. Even as the buttons pop off one by

one, he still finds a reason to sing. What

happens when all the button are off his

shirt.

Nesbitt, Kenn

More Bears! When an author starts writing, children yell

that they want more bears in the story.

Palacio, R. J.

We’re All Wonders

Augie is an ordinary kid: he likes to bike,

play with his dog, eat ice cream, and play

ball. But he doesn’t look ordinary. When

people see him, they stare, point and laugh,

or talk about him behind his back. Can

Augie show the other kids that he is just

like them – a wonder?

Barton, Byron

The Three Bears While three bears are away from home,

Goldilocks ventures inside their house,

tastes their porridge, tries their chairs, and

finally falls asleep in Baby Bear's bed. This

is a very simple re-telling of the classic

fairy tale. After reading the story to your

child, have him tell it to you.

Brett, Jan

The Turnip Badger Girl is delighted to find the biggest

turnip she has ever seen growing in her

vegetable garden, but when the time comes

to harvest the giant root, she is unable to

pull it up without help from family and

friends. Each time the group tries to pull

the turnip, have your child guess what each

character will say next. Will the characters

get the turnip to come out of the ground?

Galdone, Paul

The Little Red Hen The little red hen finds none of her lazy

friends willing to help her plant, harvest, or

grind wheat into flour, but all are eager to

eat the cake she makes from it.

Galdone, Paul

The Three Billy Goats Gruff As the goats trip trap over the troll’s

bridge, each Billy Goat Gruff repeats the

experience in turn, lending for a chilling

adventure that is chiefly repetitive in

nature. Children will have fun telling the

story, impersonating the evil troll, and

chanting along throughout the story.

Matheson, Christie

Tap the Magic Tree Through a series of directions, the author

leads the reader to grow the tree through a

variety of seasons. You and your child will

enjoy growing tree after tree together!

Numeroff, Laura

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie This cumulative story takes the reader

through a cycle of requests from a mouse.

Have your child predict what happens after

each of the mouse’s requests.

Pinkney, Jerry

The Lion and the Mouse

Wordless books present the perfect chance

for your child to tell the story and build

narrative skills. Take turns telling the

story. Swap out familiar words with fancier

ones. Have fun as you read together.

Pett, Mark

The Boy & the Airplane A wordless picture book in which a boy

comes up with an inventive solution for

getting his toy airplane down from the

roof. As you read through the book, have

your child predict how the main character

will get the plane off the roof. Compare the

first page and the last page and ask your

child what transpired.

Wood, Don

The Little Mouse, the Red Ripe

Strawberry, and the Big Hungry Bear Little Mouse loves strawberries, but so

does the bear. How will Little Mouse stop

the bear from eating his freshly picked,

red, ripe strawberry? Stay tuned for the

funny joke played on the listener!

Print Awareness: understanding text and books

Print awareness includes opening a book from the proper side, noticing signage, fonts,

understanding punctuation, page orientation, and reading dialogue.

When you read to your preschooler, trace the flow of text across the page with your

finger. Teach your child to read from left to right, from top to bottom. Read street signs

and store signs together so that he realizes that you, too, use reading in your daily life.

Novak, B.J.

The Book with No Pictures

In this book with no pictures, the reader

has to say every silly word, no matter

what.

Pace, Anne Marie

Vampirina Ballerina Vampirina faces a number of challenges

such as not being able to use the mirror,

or having to practice only at night. Follow

along with the flow of text from top to

bottom, left to right, to practice page

orientation with your young reader.

Shannon, David

No, David! A young boy is depicted doing a variety

of naughty things for which he is

repeatedly admonished, but finally he gets

a hug. David hears “No!” a lot in this tale.

Have your child point to the no each time

it comes.

Sierra, Judy

The Sleepy Little Alphabet The sleepy letters of the alphabet get

ready for bed.

Wells, Rosemary

Yoko Finds Her Way When Yoko gets lost in the airport, she

uses her sign-reading skills to find her

way back to her mama. After reading the

book once, have your child help Yoko by

telling her what the signs say.

Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta

Duck, Duck, Moose!

Duck and Duck are busy getting ready for

a party. Their friend Moose keeps getting

in the way. This book only uses two words,

duck and moose. You can have your child

say “moose” each time it appears in the

text.

Ehlert, Lois

Wag a Tail A trip to the dog park makes for an

entertaining and social day for pups, while

providing a literature-rich environment for

the reader in the way of dialogue bubbles

and dog park signs.

Hutchins, Pat

Rosie’s Walk In this nearly wordless book, young

readers learn page orientation by following

Rosie on her walk.

McClements, George

Baron von Baddie and the Ice Ray

Incident Varying font types set the mood as the

author tells the tale of the evil Baron von

Baddie.

Letter Knowledge: recognizing letters and shapes Children notice that each letter has a distinct shape. As letter knowledge builds, children

associate sounds with these symbols. Over time, children come to understand that

groups of letters make up words.

Challenge your child to a letter scavenger hunt. Look for letters on signs and license

plates. Once he names a letter, ask him for its sound. Identify capital and small letters.

Mahy, Margaret

The Alphabet Keeper The Alphabet Keeper keeps all the letters

caged in the dark, but one day they escape

and use clever word play to outwit the

keeper. Play I Spy as you read the story to

challenge your child to recognize the

letters.

Martin, Bill

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom An alphabet rhyme/chant that relates what

happens when the whole alphabet tries to

climb a coconut tree.

McMullen, Kate

I’m Cool McMullen mixes fonts and colors in this

story about the coolest truck of all: a

zamboni.

Numeroff, Laura

The 10-Step Guide to Living with Your

Monster With a number of varied fonts within the

artwork, Laura Numeroff uses plenty of

signage within this story about the care and

feeding of your pet monster.

Scarry, Richard

Richard Scarry’s ABC Word Book Most pages begin with the upper and lower

case letters. The featured letter is

highlighted throughout the double-page

search-and-find spread. Children can

browse the busy illustrations leisurely,

getting to know the letters and their

sounds. Of special interest are the special

consonant sounds, CH, TH, and SH.

Fleming, Denise

Alphabet Under Construction If you have a building enthusiast in your

house, this alphabet book will fill the bill!

A little mouse creates the letters of the

alphabet in many different ways. Use the

books not only to learn letters, but also to

sound out the phrase that accompanies the

pictures.

Gravett, Emily

Orange, Pear, Apple, Bear As a bear juggles and plays, he explores

concepts of color, shape, and food using

only five simple words.

Harper, Charise Mericle

Go! Go! Go! Stop! Little Green only knows one word: Go! It's

the perfect thing to get the construction site

moving, but how will they stop?

Heo, Yumi

Red Light, Green Light This board book features 10 lift-the-flap

traffic signs for little ones to ‘read’.

MacDonald, Suse

Shape by Shape Turn the die-cut pages to discover colorful

shapes,

which

come

together to

reveal a

creature

from long

ago.

Phonological Awareness: playing with sounds Chanting, singing, and rhyming encourage word play. No matter which language you

speak, children recognize sound patterns in speech and play with them to discover and

form new words.

Clap out sound patterns and refrains as you read together. Delay responding to a final

rhyme to see if your child finishes it. And read plenty of poetry and nursery rhymes!

Boynton, Sandra

Moo, Baa, La La La! Silliness ensues as the farm animals rollick

in an infectious rhyming romp.

Cabrera, Jane

Old MacDonald Had a Farm In this and her other picture books, Jane

Cabrera uses bright, appealing illustrations

to introduce children to classic nursery

rhymes and songs.

Rosen, Michael

The Bus is for Us! In rhyming text, exuberant children

express their travel preferences while

ultimately agreeing that the bus is the best

ride of all because it is designed for

everyone to share. Have your child guess

the different modes of transportation from

the rhyme.

Seuss, Dr.

One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish

Engage your child in word play while

listening to this Dr. Seuss tale featuring all

sorts of ridiculously

fantasical beasts. See if

your child can complete

the rhyming word from the

next line of the story.

Encourage making up new

words, even nonsense

words to reinforce this fun

and inventive literacy skill.

Shaw, Nancy

Sheep in a Jeep Five sheep pack up their jeep for a picnic

with comical, but sad results. A great book

to chant to, or even set to music. Point out

words and tap out the syllables as you

rhyme.

Shields, Carol Diggory

Martian Rock Martians travel the universe in this silly,

rhyming book.

Sutton, Sally

Roadwork This picture book, with its rambunctious

rhymes and noisy fun, follows machines as

they clear a pathway, roll tar, and sweep up

at the end.

Viorst, Judith

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible,

No Good, Very Bad Day With his day starting off badly, young

Alexander meets challenge after challenge

with the observation that today is ‘a

terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!’

Chant the book’s

refrain aloud with

your child. Clap it

out with him. Best

of all, when he

discovers the

back-up plan of

moving to

Australia, tap out

the word to

reinforce the

sounds.

Vocabulary: naming things and learning new words The human brain grows more quickly between ages three and five than any other time

of life. By the age of five, a child raised in a literature-rich environment may develop a

vocabulary of up to 5,000 words. So feed your preschooler lots of WORDS!

Play games that build his word count. Name objects as you walk along. Use synonyms

to boost vocabulary. Use extravagant adjectives to describe what you see.

Hoban, Tana

26 Letters and 99 Cents One side is an alphabet book. The other

side is a lesson in numbers. Children will

learn both small and capital letters along

with numbers and currency.

Portis, Antoinette

Not a Stick An imaginative young pig shows some of

the many things that a stick can be. This

book offers an opportunity to learn new

words as the pig re-imagines the stick.

Brainstorm some other things that a stick

could be.

Martin, Bill

Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You

See? Children see a variety of animals, each one

a different color, and a teacher looking at

them. Sing this story to the tune of

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star for a bedtime

song.

Shaw, Charles G.

It Looked Like Spilt Milk This simple, predictable story encourages

readers to name objects and shapes, while

also building narrative skills.

Wilson, Karma

Bear Sees Colors While taking a walk with Mouse, Bear

meets many other friends and sees colors

everywhere. The rhyme in the book gives a

hint to the color before you turn the page.

Introduce rhyming words to help your

child guess the color.

Coat, Janik

Rhymoceros A blue rhinoceros unabashedly subjects

himself to undignified elements in order to

demonstrate sixteen pairs of rhyming

words, from "caring" and "daring" to

"stinky" and "inky." Practice rhyming with

your child. Even if the word is not a real

word, give lots of praise. Recognizing the

sounds and matching the rhymes are the

important exercises.

Coffelt, Nancy

Big, Bigger, Biggest Cofflet has created a fun story that is a

thesaurus of superlatives for preschoolers.

The language is silly and perfectly

expressive. You and your child can choose

your favorites and add them to your

everyday conversations.

Crews, Donald

Freight Train Rich with vocabulary building

opportunities, this simple book relates

trains, colors, even motion. Take

advantage of the rhythmic nature of train

sounds to enhance your reading

experience.

Curtis, Jamie Lee

Big Words for Little People A big sister teaches her younger siblings

some important words, like responsible,

persevere, and respect.

Hall, Michael

A Perfect Square You and your child can name items as the

perfects square breaks apart, changes into

shapes, and forms creative collages.